michelle griego found out many in san francisco say they owe san francisco for how the city looks today. >> reporter: when people around the world think of the vieux carre they think of scenes like this but it almost looks like this. >> we're not talking about a highway. we're talking about an act of barbarism. >> reporter: it would stand 40 feet tall and six lanes wide 3.5 miles of it running between the mississippi river and the city's iconic st. louis cathedral. [ church bells ] >> jackson square, the highway. gone. no access to the river. it's over. >> reporter: and the damage wouldn't end there. >> all you see in front of us, all these trees, all the grassy grounds are gone. this is an up ramp to an elevated highway. >> both the mayor, the governor, the city council, all wanted that elevated highway in the worst way. >> reporter: so a small group of new orleanians went to war. >> we were the underdogs. >> reporter: until reinforcements arrived from san francisco. >> they wouldn't accept a nickel. they came on their own to save the city of new orleans from an elevated highway based